Despite Hogue’s solid outing, SSU had its second worst shooting game (26.9 percent), had only five assists and 23 turnovers and was outrebounded 47-39.

No one was looking forward to five days off before the next game more than Tigers’ coach Cedric Baker.

“We’ll have a long layoff and we’ll have a chance to get in the gym,” Baker said. “We’ll be asking the players to have a little bit of a commitment, sooner is better than later.”

Bethune-Cookman didn’t exactly light the arena on fire but used a 14-2 spurt in the first half to gain a double-digit advantage and a 9-0 run in the second half to quell a Tiger rally.

BCU shot only 30 percent from the floor, but leading scorer Chastity Rene Taylor came up big with a team-high 19 points.

Taylor, who entered the game averaging 14.4 points a game, scored at critical junctures.

Bethune went on a 14-2 run midway through the first half, turning a 12-12 game to 26-16.

Taylor had six straight points to end the run.

She finished the half with a team-leading 10 points, all of the scoring coming during a six-minute span.

Her first four came uniquely, draining a long 3-point shot and sinking a subsequent free throw after getting knocked to the floor on the play.

SSU trailed by nine at the half, 27-18, but it could have been worse. Although the Tigers shot only 26.9 percent from the field and committed 17 turnovers, Bethune hit a paltry 3 of 13 from the free-throw line.

SSU closed within six, 32-26, but an 8 ½-minute span without a field goal coupled with BCU’s 9-0 run — Taylor contributed four points — gave the Wildcats a cushion.

“Defensively, we’ve been keeping the score where we’d like it to be, but offensively it’s been a roller coaster with our young leadership on the floor,” Baker said.

SSU’s slump has coincided with the loss of leading scorer Ezinne Kalu on Dec. 20.